Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Post Five - It's All About the Mail

Mon. 3/19/45:I
felt a bit stiff and bruised from yesterday’s workout but otherwise O.K.We had beaching exercises all morning and did
ship’s work in P.M. while anchored off Green
Beach.We had to strip the wreck in the tank deck
and repair our hawsers and cables.I got
a little sand and a splinter from the boat as a souvenir.Got underway at 7
P.M. and tomorrow we will have gunnery practice again with planes, and
then head back to Pearl Harbor.At 6 P.M.
we had a “Survivor & Rescue” drill.We had to lower the debarkation nets.While doing so, I lost my good Waterman’s 100-year pen with my name on
it, that I had given me when I enlisted last June 1st, 1943 –
damn.It slipped out of my shirt pocket
and I could see it shimmering down in the clear water and was damn near ready
to dive after it.That drill was a
costly one for me.About $20, that pen
cost, my friends.

Tues 3/20/45:Had
the 4-8 AM watch this morning; saw a
beautiful sunrise off the island of Lanai.We also have passed by Molokai,
Kahoolawe and the tip of the main island
of Hawaii itself during the
cruise.We had General Quarters all
A.M.All guns fired and did some good
shooting – what a racket and how the old 899 quaked and quivered.Oh, yes, during mooring operations Sunday A.M.
we pulled two pad eyes right out of the deck. It’s only 3/8” plate and damn poor steel at
that – cripes, a shell wouldn’t even meet enough resistance to even
explode.I think it would just pass
right through like so much paper.I
swear – what a tub!Got back to Pearl
Harbor at 10 o’clock and
tied up at Pier 11 in West Lock.Immediately went after mail – got very little for crew – I got a letter
fromBud Rengman in El Cerrito,
California, one from Jim Bratchie in the Philippines, June Pickering and a
V-mail from my sister, Grace, two from Ethel about 10-12 days old.She has been to the doctor – something wrong
in the womb.I hope to God she’s OK, but
she was so vague about it.She is contemplating
going to work at Sylvania again.

Wed 3/21/45: Had my first liberty in Honolulu.Had a 1-hour small boat run to Fleet Landing
and walked to main gate, took a bus to Honolulu
and walked around.I bought a banana
split and a coke and had some pictures taken, one with Stan Wiecexak, SC 3/c and
sent them to Ethel.We took a bus to Waikiki
Beach and went to the beautiful
Royal Hawaiian Hotel.We looked around
and came back to town with a Marine – Bill Daley, from Dorchester,
Mass., a vet of Tarawa,
Saipan and Tinian.We had a couple of drinks (boy, were they
weak).All the bars close at 4 P.M.I
bought a souvenir map, a grass skirt for Judy, some shells, pictures, two
kerchiefs, a handkerchief (and this pen).I will send some of it home immediately.Stuff that has no writing on it I can send home; the rest will have to
wait 30 days.What a lot of baloney that
is!Got a bus back – a long trip – got a
small boat back to the ship about 6:30 P.M.It isn’t worth the effort, but I’ll go again
just to get off this damn ship awhile.Called Tommy (Agnes Blanchard) and just told her I was back; may see her
again.

Thurs 3/22/45:Stayed aboard
ship all P.M.I went after mail in
AM.Got 11 letters for the crew –
something must be fouled up in the mail.I got none.Picked up a 16mm
movie film; James Cagney in “Johnny Come Lately”.We showed it on the main deck at 8 P.M. –
not bad.I worked on a stage over the
side all P.M. and the new numbers for the ship - 899 - 6 ft. high and 3 ft.
across and 1 ft. thick – a hell of a job.

Fri 3/23/45:Part
routine; didn’t leave the ship all day.Had MacMillan get the mail, only there wasn’t any.It sure must be fouled up, but this is
overseas.I worked over the side on a
stage all day; blocked out the 6 ft. numbers on the port bow and stern
starboard quarter, then wrote this.Wish
I had some mail.

The Numbers He Painted

Sat 3/24/45: We’re still in port, Pier 11, West Lock, Pearl
Harbor.Worked all day over
the side and finished locking out 899 in 6 ft letters.I retrieved an 18” rule I dropped by
stripping and swimming after it.I’ve
meant to note before that it always seems cloudy over these islands but sunny
out to sea a ways.It rained
intermittently today; warm as usual.We
are in sort of an out-of-the-way corner of the harbor.It’s all amphibious here: LST’s – about 100
around here – LCI, LCT, LSM – all types.Some go and came everyday.We’ll
be getting our load someday soon and be shoving off “down under”.My guess is either Guam
or the Philippines.

LCI - Landing Craft Infantry

LCT - Landing Craft Tank

LCM - Landing Ship Medium

Sun 3/25/45:Meant
to say yesterday I got a letter from Mr. Beckwith, minister of the Dane St.
Cong. Church, a swell guy.Nothing from
Ethel, I feel pretty low.I’m just
homesick for her and the kids. I would like some mail and a picture or two
would help.God, I’ll be glad when this
is all over and we can all go home.Germany
must give in soon it seems. Our other team is across the Rhine
and Russia is
closing in on the other side.Japan
mainland is catching hell from our B-29 super-forts in raids from 200-300
planes.When the B-32 comes out they’ll
be able to plaster the yellow bastards off the map.This is Pearl Harbor
where they (the Japs) started this Dec.
7, 1941.All marks of that
sneak attack have been obliterated except for a few stranded pilings where
ships were sunk and are still underwater, preventing their use as tying-up places.I haven’t been to Clark
or Hickham Field yet, but have seen then both several times.I think, maybe Clayt Cressy may be a Hickham.I’ve written the guy several times, but he’s
very lax as a correspondent to me.I had
liberty today.I left the ship via small
boat at 9 AM, arrived Fleet Landing at
10, got to Honolulu at 11 and went
straight to Waikiki.Got there at 12.It was so
crowded that I couldn’t get a locker, so had no swimming.It was a beautiful clear, hot day, too.I carried my 127 camera – got a film from a
soldier.I took 3 snaps – had Bob
Schema, Lowery and Luadzers in the pictures with me; one taken in front of the
Royal Hawaiian Hotel and two taken standing on the beach at Waikiki.I went over to Tommie’s.She had a cold.Had a couple beers and sent straight across
the street to the Makuola, a servicemen’s center and tried to locate Clayt – no
soap.

Involved in genealogy since 1986, I still have an avid love for solving mysteries and finding out where we come from and what our ancestors' lives were like. Although I now live in Montana, my New England culture in is my bones. I am determined to leave something of this history for my family and friends. I hope that you will enjoy my posts. I am currently transcribing the World War II diary of my father, who served aboard an LST in the south Pacific.